turn a trick
Definition
- Verb (intransitive, slang):
- To engage in a single act of prostitution; to have a client as a prostitute.
Usage
This phrase is a specific, informal, and often derogatory idiom used almost exclusively to describe the act of a prostitute servicing a client. It refers to the completion of one transactional sexual encounter. It is not used in formal contexts.
Examples
- Verb:
- The police alleged she was on the street to turn a trick.
- He claimed she turned a trick for fifty dollars.
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is highly specific and does not have common variations or metaphorical uses in standard English. Its meaning is fixed within the context of sex work.
Variants and Related Words
- Turn tricks (verb phrase): The plural form, meaning to engage in prostitution regularly or on multiple occasions.
- She was arrested for turning tricks in the downtown area.
Synonyms
- See a client/john (verb phrase): A less graphic, though still informal, synonym used within some contexts.
- Engage in prostitution (verb phrase): The formal, general term for the activity.
Related Idioms
- On the game/turf (idiom): To be working as a prostitute.
- She's been on the game for years.
- Streetwalker (noun): A prostitute who solicits clients on the street.
Verb
-
have a customer, of a prostitute